A Knight's Promise

Chapter 6: Liberation

With the armies of the Sky Raiders arriving to aid their lord, the Knight is happy to see the warriors who pledged their oath to aid their lord and fulfill their oath to the goddess shall never be broken.

All the pieces are now on the board ready to move upon their master’s will. 

The Demon’s rage was quelled for a time but his moment of peace was broken. One of the captains that arrived with the Sky raiders with the look of disgust and anger riddled upon his arrogant face.

“Lord Anthony, The council demands your presence immediately.” The captain reported.

Kent rolled his eyes kneeling before the council asking what they desired of him, one of them smirked asking the young knight if he was joking or was he blind to their call.

To avoid further headaches He ordered the captains to set up the call as the war room lit a blue light as the Council of Archon’s appeared before him. Kent knelt before the council as they represent the might of the kingdom each of the 12 seats embody a core part of the kingdom. 

Kent once had a good relationship with some of the councilors long ago some of them even trained him in mastering the many disciplines a knight lord must possess. Though their relationship turned sour after Judicator Triton accused him of assassinating him after Kent’s gun blade’s power cell exploded during the awarding ceremony nearly killing them both in the process.

The Demon also holds deep-seated hatred towards the council for their many failures though he did praise them for their achievement for getting to the Unknown region that will be a story for another time.

The council’s relationship towards the young knight turned cold after the incident with Judicator Ignus and his fall inside the Hell’s Gate.

“I heed the call of the council… What do you ask of us?” Kent saluted.

“You still dare to ask what you had done Kent… How idiotic!” Councilor Arkus asked.

“Kent you stand accused of high treason before the kingdom and to the goddess herself! You deliberately ordered your clan to answer the call to arms, stealing the Night Hawk, High-jacking the Night Dreamer, Deploying the executioners, even Deploying one of the 3 great arcs, and worshiping the Demonic Fate?  And you still ask us what we desire… You are a delusional child!” Councilor Gile scoffed.

“I never ordered the Sky Raiders or the glaives to deploy and Storm Raider possesses free will I gave no order to deploy along with the fact that I only asked my team to follow me to Ren’veil.”

“Then you mean to say the High Glaives, have a will of their own when they deliberately tore open the western blast doors, nearly killing 500,000 people in the process? Do you think they do not deserve justice?” Councilor Triox asked.

“I never asked the Glaives to come but I am glad they came to our aid regardless if not this world would have been lost!” Kent stood with pride.

“i***t! DO YOU THINK THAT THE EXECUTIONERS ARE SAVIORS THEY ARE MERELY WEAPONS TO SERVE A PURPOSE NOTHING MORE AND YOU STILL TREAT THEM LIKE THEY ARE YOUR FLESH AND BLOOD!” Councilor Vax shouted.

The Council and the young knight argued for hours on end as the council threw case upon case towards the young knight for all his negligence and letting the monsters born from the twin destroyers run loose upon creation.

Kent defended them for the good they are doing upon Ren’veil and many Zerrohnians amongst the sky raiders and the people of Ren’veil accept them for being heroes while his father watched silently from his throne. 

As the day slowly turned to night as the council’s wrath grew until they had heard enough of Kent’s treacherous behavior towards the chosen of Faith. 

“KENT FOR YOUR BETRAYAL OF OUR TRUST AND BREAKING OUR GODDESSES HEART YOU SHALL BE STRIPPED OF YOUR RANK, YOUR RIGHTS  REMOVED, YOU SHALL BE SENTENCED TO DEATH BY BLIGHT FLAME. How do you plead?” Councilor Zanthos asked.

“I-I had heard enough…” The Demon growled.

The Demon snapped his fingers, breaking every councilor’s arms and legs, amplifying the pain they felt. The knights present in the council room went down on their knees as the cold hands of death slowly choked the life out of their bodies. 

The councilors saw shadows begin to envelop the room as the attendants in the room tried to escape but all the doors were sealed shut with thick ice or the handles burned with searing flames. 

The Archons tried to destroy the doors with brute force but their strength was deflected back to them damaging several organs in the process. 

He scoffed at the Archon’s petty strength, comparing it to a pup trying to stop a world-ending earthquake laughing at their feeble efforts to escape. 

“Your attempts to break free from my prison are laughable. Ironically, you chose to blame it all on a child who did everything you asked of him…  Only to betray him in the end.” The Demon laughed.

Before the council could speak the Demon waved his hand as three of the councilor’s heads were destroyed instantly. The Demon smirked warning the council to speak only when asked if they dare to speak again their families shall be next on his list to kill. 

“Now we have everyone here. I would like to bring up the subject of Kent’s so-called betrayal and your accusation of worshiping Demonic Fate, is it? How can a mortal follow the Demonic Fate when the soul is already broken.” The Demon smiled.

The Demon snapped his fingers as three other councilors died as their necks were spun several times as their heads rolled down their shoulders. 

“Demon, this is not your battle to fight, this matter belongs to the council, and to Kent your involvement will mean the ancient one’s return!” The council shouted.

He aimed at each councilor revealing the plot to overthrow the Redridge clan who remained loyal to their founder’s wish. 

“Your feeble desire for power and gold will be your undoing… Do you even dare to tell me that this is not my fight? You make me laugh child… You made it my fight when you failed Tallis or how you tried to have Wodan killed! Do you remember or do you have something to hide?” The Demon asked.

The councilors tried to silence the demon as he revealed that the current and previous court of Archons had a hand in the deaths of Tallis and Wodan remained a mystery to the public. 

But in truth, the council’s treachery was revealed when they told the Archon of the 1st Legion Zer’yuuoh about Tallis’s location ending in her death at the hands of the prodigal son. 

“Hmm, I can feel the rage of the people growing at its boiling point…  How did that mortal saying go again? Was it strike while the iron was hot? Whatever it may be, I shall go with whatever it means.” The Demon laughed.

The demon revealed that it was no coincidence that the 1st legion found Requiem, he opened everyone’s eyes as the councilors sent an encrypted transmission to Zerýuuoh revealing the location of Requiem.

Once they found Requiem they demanded that the planet be surrendered to them as it is their birthright. The Demon also revealed that the Requiem’s planetary shields did not go silent but it was sabotaged by the councilors resulting in millions of innocent people’s deaths and the birth of the Dreamless Sleep. 

The other Archons denied such involvement when the Demon sighed as their voices annoyed him greatly.

“Now tell me, do you still think Kent is a traitor? Or do you wish for me to grab a dictionary and teach you what it truly means?”

“My lord, would you believe the word of a demon more than those who serve the goddess?” The councilors pleaded.

“Yes, do not believe the words of a mere demon… Unless that demon is the Demon of Faith that is?” The Demon smirked.

The council’s shock and disbelief were written across their faces as the demon revealed the seal of faith upon them. No Demon or God can ever replicate the Seal of Faith for it is possessed by only one being throughout the realms.

The strongest demon to exist born from the primordial energies of the first being possessing the unyielding rage of every soul that walked and passed through creation. 

No one would dare to stand against the Demon of Faith for not even death can save them from his fury. 

The councilors started begging for forgiveness before the demon as he started to laugh at their pathetic attempts clinging to what power they possess. 

“Well, then councilors now that you know who I am… What happens next is the fault of your choices…”The demon laughed maniacally. 

The demon snapped his fingers as 720,000 Xar-gezh both knight and civilian, instantly burned in black flames. No one was spared from his fury as nearly a million more served under the councilors died a more brutal death cursing the names of their masters that they serve.

The Archons were terrified beyond belief as they fell silent, their pride and hubris lay dead before the mighty. 

“You say that Kent had betrayed the kingdom’s ideology but let me reiterate that question… Is it HE who betrayed the kingdom’s ideology or yours? But you have more pressing matters to deal with.” The Demon laughed maniacally.

The Demon crippled the rest of the council taking their power as their bodies shriveled in live broadcast without mercy or remorse. Their power would be put to good use elsewhere as he clapped his hands after cleaning up the mess left behind by the previous Eternal knight. 

He thoroughly cleaned the ranks of the knights of the former councilor’s touch as he easily killed several hundreds of knights and marines from the army’s ranks even in the Sky Raiders no one is spared from his fury. 

Before he ended the transmission the Demon pointed at the Grand Archon with a smile upon his face he unleashed a tidal wave of fear and rage breaking his spiritual defenses as he said. 

“You had been lied to by those you trusted and you were left in the dark for so long… You will pay for your crimes of negligence for letting your children fall into darkness... Sadly I shall not be the one to deliver your punishment… Know that I interfered with your affairs because Faith asked me nicely… She believes in your ability to lead the people to a brighter future… Do not fail her Victor!” The Demon growled.

The demon released his grip upon the council room like a flood, many knights and marines rushed into the council’s room demanding the heads of the councilors ripping them apart with rage and fury in their hearts. 

The other captains rushed into the war room reporting that over half of their forces burst into flames when they saw the Demon talking with the Archon. The Demon raised an eyebrow asking them what they need of Kent when they decided to not ask any more questions knowing he is involved it was best to leave it as it is. 

Hours passed since the Great Cleansing as the media reported Kent and the Demon were outside the waiting room as Lily and her nurses were busy attending to the two ladies. 

“Why did Lily not inform us that they were awake?” The Demon grunted.

“Well we were or mostly you were talking to the council and threatened my father several times… And knowing that you were in a rageful state… I wouldn’t even dare to enter the war room if that is the case.” Kent stated.

“Still they are OUR LADIES, should she not have at least told us that they are awake! She disappoints men Kent and to think she calls herself a doctor.” The Demon snarled.

Kent rolled his eyes knowing the Demon often speaks the truth but his truth carries a great burden. 

“I will digress Kent, these conversations we had long ago inside Hell's gate… I will be honest… I did miss these conversations no one aside from Faith had the gull to talk to me about the life of a mortal… For that, you have my thanks.” 

“I owe you for saving me… well some of me.”

The Demon smirked as they bantered back and forth about what could happen in the next few days and what they dreamed of Ren’veil’s tomorrow. The Demon saw the young knight not as the Eternal knight but as an equal for no living soul broken or not could stand with the Demon of Faith and live to tell the tale.

After some time Lily left the room wiping her hands with a clean cloth with a heavy sigh Kent stood from his chair asking the status of the two.

“Well they are weak but awake so I suggest giving them more time to rest… But my question is… When I tested their blood I found some traces of the Re-weaver virus in their bodies though dormant but I am wondering how did they get in their bodies when this planet was never exposed to the viral destroyers?” Lily suspiciously asked.

“Uhm-Coincidence maybe?”

“I have my doubts… And the main culprit for all this is the Demon that lives inside you, am I right?” 

“Wow, she is good, I will give her that.” The Demon nodded.

Lily forbade Kent from entering the patient’s room until she finds out the truth directly from the demon’s mouth. The Demon grunted warning her for overstepping their boundaries before he snapped her neck. 

Lily sighed asking the Demon if he is ready to tell her how the two contain traces of the twin destroyers she will be in her clinic. The Demon smirked at her demands and told her the truth though Lily was frightened of him her duty as a doctor will always come first she then allowed the two to enter the room for only a short time.

“You have my thanks Lily, but know that I did this out of kindness to the two and nothing more but do not forget whom you are talking with or else.”The Demon warned.

They went into the room seeing the two eagerly waiting for the return of their knight and demon to return as he got down on one knee bowing before his ladies.

“We are home my lady.” Kent and the Demon saluted.

To his left is Aisha Ayekawa, a 17-year-old girl with long violet braided hair and violet eyes, a young mage prodigy of New hope city. 

Beside her is Yuuno Fullvrink, an 18-year-old girl with long black hair with red and sapphire eyes, She on the other hand is the beautiful jewel of New hope city. 

Unlike Aisha, Yuuno is one of the many identical beauties who serve as a priestess of the order of the three gods as a spiritual cleric. 

Aisha reached out her hand Kent walked to her slowly holding her hand gently comforting the weary mage. On the other hand, Yuuno could see the Demon as he caressed her cheek comforting the lonely priestess. 

“Kent, Welcome home.” Yuuno sighed.

“Our pleasure my Lady… After all, this is our home… I am sorry for leaving you both here to deal with the traitor.” Kent explained.

“Kent, is there no other way we can save Rio?” Aisha asked.

“You still wish to save him? My Lady, forgive me but I fear that there is no saving him after killing hundreds upon thousands of civilians and most of my men and Glaives fell before his blade. And you still wish to save him after he made his intentions clear that he will e*****e every single last mage and priestess on Ren’veil starting with you two. I shall not stand for it my Lady he is far from saving!” Kent explained.

“I agree with Kent, Aisha there is no saving his soul I saw his soul is too far gone already…” The Demon added.

“I-I… I was just hoping we could still save him… We can’t give up on our friend?” Aisha asked.

“I wish to save Rio from his path, my love, but knowing how many of my sisters died by his hands… All I can wish for him is a merciful end… Many of my sisters fell before his hand and thousands of Vai’len fell before his blade… I can still hear their screams in my sleep… But as a priestess, I must not give up on a soul that can still be saved. Please let us try just one more time to save him.” You cried.

“Very well but should he raise his sword against you again then we shall not hesitate to strike him down.” The Demon grunted.

They agreed to their request but deep down the Demon and the Knight agreed this is a very bad idea knowing Rio is a far cry from his former self.

Aisha and Yuuno shared a moment with their lover as they enjoyed the moment of peace when all of a sudden Kent's intercom rang wildly.

Kent answered the call seeing one of his captains was badly injured. He asked the captain what happened to him when he showed them how he received his injury.

The captured New kingdom soldiers wore a strange black collar around their necks out of curiosity one of the Fang Wraiths removed said collar with their sharp fangs.

Upon ripping the collar the soldier who stood cold and unresponsive suddenly burst to life.

The soldier screamed as if he was in relentless pain begging for forgiveness repeatedly. The wraiths tried to pin him down but to no effect as he struggled to escape, nearly ripping his arm off in the process.

Before they could interrogate him, the victim's body began to blister and boil as if he was being cooked from the inside out. Tendrils burst from his body lashing out at anything near it severely injuring several glaives in the process.

But the worst was yet to come, the Victim's body doubled in size as his body bloated the tendrils latched onto any corpses it could find and absorbed it the soldier's body.

The glaives fought the abomination and suffered heavy casualties only until a Blade master intervened and killed the monstrosity.

Though it died the abomination's body grew in size again before bursting in a swell of gore. Anyone inside the 40-meter radius of the explosion would be either killed or severely wounded by the amalgamated bones or melted by the acidic blood.

Their eyes widened as the horror of the New Kingdom was laid before them.

"How could they! How could Nerro use the forbidden ritual?" Aisha shouted.

"Sister, calm yourself, we both made sure that the tomes to create the collars of domination were destroyed long ago but how is this possible?" Yuuno contemplated.

"Wait, what do you mean?" 

Yuuno sighed as she revealed the truth behind the collars they all saw in the video as she explained.

"Roughly 8 months before the northern war began, Aisha, Nerro, and I were ordered by the king to investigate a tomb that was recently found in the western fold near the coast of the black desert."

Upon entering the tomb the three realized that it belonged to the old unified kingdom before it fell to the free army. The temple housed many scrolls and relics from ancient times during their search they stumbled upon the Collars of Domination and the scrolls needed to make them.

The sacrifices needed to make the collars should never be brought to light thus by the order of the High priestess and the Grand Mage. All tomes related to the Collars of domination are to be destroyed the two thought they succeeded in destroying them all or so they thought.

A dark truth lay before them as the warriors were shocked beyond belief knowing they may have killed innocent people. 

The Demon's rage overpowered the young knight as dark clouds formed above the skies of the city as the howling echo of the knights who fought and killed the unwilling was heard throughout the night's sky.

The Demon unleashed a spine-chilling roar knowing the New Kingdom broke the one rule no one should ever break. 

All eyes now turn to the kingdom with Wolf, Dragon, and Glaive raising their weapons against the kingdom in the name of the unwilling and the fallen.

By Faith's hand, they will have retribution...